Growth, yield and water use efficiency of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) sown under different planting techniques

An experiment was conducted to check the effect of different planting techniques on growth, yield and water use efficiency of cotton. There were three planting methods viz. flat sowing with hand drill, flat sowing with alternate row earthing up, bed and furrow and three plant spaces i.e. 10, 20 and 30 cm. Data concerning leaf area per plant collected periodically indicate that maximum was recorded at 100 days after sowing and then decline and highest was recorded in bed and furrow method under 30 cm plant spacing. Among the yield and yield components effect of planting techniques on number of nodes of first fruiting branch height, height to node ratio, number of sympodial branches per plant, number of cotton seed per boll and ginning out turn was non significant however, days to flowering, number of bolls per plant and seed cotton yield differed significantly. Maximum mean maturity date was recorded in flat sowing with drill at 10 cm plant spacing. The effect of planting techniques on production rate index, earliness index and on water use efficiency was significant. On the whole, it is advantageous for yield and water use efficiency when cotton was planted under bed and furrow methods was better at 30 cm plant spacing.